Gear changes make a difference with Hokahey

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Jack Bruce is hoping his decision to make crucial gear changes with former NSW sprinter Hokahey will again be vindicated at Doomben on Wednesday.

Hokahey was having only her second start for the former New Zealander when the five-year-old mare saluted in a 1350 metre Benchmark race at Doomben on January 25.

In her stable debut, Hokahey had a tongue-tie and wore blinkers, as well as a cross over nose band, when she finished third behind the Lorraine Erhart-trained Elected in a similar race at the Sunshine Coast on January 8.

Hokahey was previously trained in NSW by Goulburn’s Kurt Goldman and will step out for her third Queensland appearance in the Class 4 Handicap over 1640 metres and will again be ridden by Samantha Collett on Wednesday. 

“She’s generally a placid mare but when she raced first-up at the Sunshine Coast, she was a little unsettled behind the barriers, so I decided to take all the gear off before she won at Doomben,” Bruce said.

“I’m not sure why she had the gear on when I first got her but she hadn’t raced for a while so I left them on for her first run for me.”

Hokahey's 1600 metre assignment has been her target for a long time and Bruce rates her recent Doomben victory as a bonus.

“Her third-up record is very good and she loves 1600 metres so all going well she’ll be hard to beat,” Bruce said.

“It was my plan all along to target this 1600 metre race third-up and her Doomben win last start was a bonus.”

Bruce has had a great start to his training career since he saddled his first runner last May.

He currently has a 16.7 per cent winning strike rate with 23 wins from his 138 starters.

Hokahey faces a stern task against the Stuart Kendrick-trained pair Rose Of Duporth and Bulloo.

Rose Of Duporth – a Ben Thompson mount – is chasing a hat-trick of wins following recent victories at the Sunshine Coast.

The daughter of Duporth has scored narrow wins at her past two starts on her home track over 1600 metres.

Bulloo will be ridden by Justin Huxtable and produced a vastly improved second behind the Annabel Neasham-trained Tidal Creek in a 1650 metre Benchmark race at Doomben last month.

Bulloo is out of a half-sister to Queensland Derby winner Eagle Way and has started 15 times for three wins and as many placings.

She is part-owned by Kendrick’s wife Trudy but was too immature last season to be seriously considered as a Queensland Oaks prospect.